Southern white rhino

Ceratotherium simum simum

White Rhino

Animal facts

The name of this rhino has no connection with the colour of its skin, but is a mis-translation of the Afrikaans word ‘weit’, meaning wide. White rhinos have a large, square mouth, well suited to grazing short grass. This is the largest and most social of the five rhino species and, like all rhinos, is very short-sighted, but has an excellent sense of smell.

Where they live

Southern Africa

Habitat

Open grassland and dry savanna

What they eat

Short grass

IUCN status

Near threatened

Conservation work

Conserving the black rhino

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